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SMTB Part 10: Yurushi, Yurushi
Hi, Papa. I know it hasn't been long since the last letter, but this was something you needed to hear. Things have been...hectic, to say the least. The bodies just keep piling up. I feel like I'm no closer to catching Tohru's murderer than I was when I first arrived at the Academy. I can see it taking its toll on my friends. He's taken so much from us. Our sense of safety, Jin's voice, and now Hiyoko's mother. All the while acting like he's being helpful. It feels like the Devil himself is stalking me, Papa. I'm starting to think their belief is crumbling away by the day. Mama's planning on taking us all to the old cabin to spend the days before and after Christmas, just to get away from all this. Tan's going to man the shop while we're gone. I can see that Mama's worried about all of us. I am too. But that's enough rambling. This isn't about Tohru's killer. This is about yours. I found him, Papa. I met the man who took your life today. And it was an experience I can't put into words, but I'll try my best. This is how your murder book finally came to a close. --- DECEMBER 18, 2019 RIN'S HOUSE Rin sat on the couch in her living room, looking despondent. It was the middle of the afternoon, but the bags under her eyes would lead one to believe it was the early morning. "Heeeeey, kiddo." Tan walked up and knelt down next to her, staring her down. Rin turned away. "Not in the mood, Tan." "Aw, c'mon. You never turn down a challenge from the Tan Man. Rin didn't respond. "Come on Rin-chan, don't get like this. The emo stuff really doesn't suit you." "What do you want me to do, Tan? Act like everything's OK after seeing two dead bodies in one day, because some evil freak decided to follow me around? I can't pretend anymore, Tan. It feels like I could get killed at any moment, or that he'll just pop in and hurt my friends. I don't know what to do..." "Sis...when are ya gonna stop blaming yourself for all of this? You've been nothing but an angel your whole life. You can't control what some asshole decides to do. You were just unlucky that he set his sights on you. It could've easily been another girl. But I know you're strong enough to handle it. You can't break now, cuz that's what the sunuvabitch wants. I know it's horrible seeing this shit over and over again, but you can't let him convince you it's your fault. Got it?" With a smile, Rin nodded. "Yeah. I got it." "You got this, sis. And why does Rin-chan got this?" "Cuz Rin-chan is a happy girl." "Damn straight, she is." He playfully rubbed her head. Then, a knock at the door. "Huh? Who could that be?" Rin asked. She went to open the door. Standing there was Hiyoko, a downtrodden look on her face. "Hey..." she said somberly. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything?" "Well, no...hey, Tan? Could you give us a minute?" "Oh yeah yeah, no problem. Papa always said, leave the ladies to their business if you don't want to get the business. Or something like that. Or maybe it was Will Smith..." he pondered to himself as he walked away. Rin sat on the couch. "So, what's up? she asked. Hiyoko was looking at a series of family photos. "Hmmm. Your brother and your father resemble each other quite a bit in these pictures." "Huh? Oh, yeah. Everyone used to say that." "Except...the eyes. There is something about your brother's eyes...even if I didn't know the truth, I would suspect there was something dark behind that gaze..." She paused. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be disrespectful. Maybe this was a bad idea..." "No no no no, it's alright. I don't even know what it is you came here for." "...how do you do it, Rin? How do you get up every morning, fully intending to bring justice for someone who treated you with such disdain? Even taking that into account, does it still cause you pain?" "Well...yeah, of course it does. For all his flaws, he was still my flesh and blood. I can't disrespect my entire family by just abandoning the whole thing." "'Flesh and blood'. As if that makes any difference..." Rin paused. "This is about your mother, isn't it, Hiyoko?" Hiyoko paused. "Why...why do I still feel this way? She abused me, neglected me and abandoned me to die alone in a gutter. I shouldn't feel anything towards her, flesh and blood be damned. But...seeing her in that box...I'd seen a dead body just moments earlier, but that shook me more than anything else. Why...I shouldn't feel anything resembling sorrow at this. I shouldn't feel anything at all...so why...can you explain it to me, Rin? Why my heart hurts for someone who hurt me so badly?" Rin didn't know how to respond. She sighed, and closed her eyes. "I'm thankful that my mom isn't here right now, because she wouldn't like what I'm about to say. The truth is, Tohru was not a good person. He was egotistical, he looked down on everyone around him, and he hated practically everything about me. My personality, my interests, my appearance. He couldn't stand the thought that I could act so carefree and achieve better results than him. There were times growing up where he'd throw dirt or mud or soot on my hair because he knew how much I loved the color. I think that's the real reason I ended up changing my hair color around when his spirit entered my heart. This, right here, represents everything he resented about me as a person. And even as I tried to find his murderer, even after he'd passed, he tried to hurt me, and make me as aggressive and resentful as he was. Do you understand how confusing all of this was? My father was a laid back business-minded man. My mother is as easy-going as they come. Me and Tan both take after our parents. I can't understand why Tohru was the way that he was." "And even after taking all of it into account...I still can't let this go. Even after everything that's happened because of it. As awful as his attitude was, he was still my brother. He didn't deserve to die that way. And I think in your heart, you feel the same way. No matter how much you resented your mother, you can't stand the idea of her being mutilated like that. I know you can't understand it. I can't either. The heart is so complex, that trying to figure out why we feel a certain way would be impossible. I'm sorry I can't give you more than words. All I can say is: don't ignore what your heart is telling you. That'll just lead to more heartache. You mourn who you want to. I won't judge you for how you feel, because I understand better than anyone how painful it is..." Hiyoko was tearing up at this point. Rin was, too. "What did we do to deserve this kind of pain, Rin?" "I...I wish I knew." They tearfully embraced. They took a few minutes to compose themselves. "That was unsightly." Hiyoko said. "Don't be embarrassed. Everyone needs to have a good cry when they're holding something in. Nothing to be ashamed of." Rin replied. Another knock at the door. Rin went to go answer it. She returned holding a single envelope. "Not much from Mr. Mailman today. Huh?" "What's the matter, Rin?" "Hey, Tan!" Tan rushed over. "Yo." "You still got friends on the inside? This letter just came in from Karakura Maximum Security." "Well it ain't for me. It's addressed to the whole family. I never even stepped foot near maximum security..." Rin opened the letter. She read through it quietly. "What's it say?" Tan asked. Rin's hands began to shake. "This...this is..." She nervously read the contents. "To the members of the Kubo household, My name is Seinosuke Yoshihito, and I am currently incarcerated in the Karakura Maximum Security Penitentiary. I am 22 years of age, but my life as a free man is over, after I was convicted of numerous counts of grand theft spanning the last 5 years. My reason for sending you all this letter is that there is one crime I have yet to be convicted of. With my life imprisonment already assured, there isn't any reason for me to take this secret to my grave. On the 22nd of September, 2011, at the age of 14, I attempted to rob a small produce store at gunpoint. Your store. And this attempt ended with the death of your patriarch, Kaito Kubo, by my hands. I have been thinking about that moment ever since then, but unfortunately it was not enough to curb my illegal behavior. My conscience has been screaming at me to make amends ever since my sentence began. The image that's been frozen in my mind was of a little girl kneeling next to the body of the man I had murdered. I never even considered the consequences of my actions going in, but that girl's confused face spoke to me. She was asking me 'why' without even saying a word. I've spent the last eight years trying to find a good enough answer, but I have none. All I have is one request, to put all of this pain to rest once and for all. I want to meet with that little girl. I want to apologize to her face. I don't care if she despises me for what I've done, I deserve every ounce of scorn. But I need to atone, and to know what the lasting consequences of my selfish actions are. Please understand, I know this must drudge up horrible memories for you all, and I'm sorry. But you deserve to know the truth. I have nothing to gain from this. If I can give you all even the tiniest sense of closure, then that's what I'll do. I am so, so sorry. For everything. --Seinosuke Yoshihito --- Hana arrived home about an hour later. Rin gave her the letter. She read it silently. "I...I don't believe it...this can't he a trick, can it?" "I don't think so, Mama. It's officially marked by the prison." Rin said. "It's gotta be some fucked-up trick. Now all of a sudden he feels bad about killing Pops? Yeah, his conscience finally kicked in now that he's been caught, are you kidding me?" Tan argued. "He named Papa in the letter. He knew it was a produce shop and he gave the exact date. That can't be faked." Rin said back. "It's a trick. For all we know it's that murdering red bastard screwing with you again. Soon as you walk into that prison, BAM. Game over. I ain't buying it." Hana paused to think. "What do you think we should do, Rin-chan?" "I...I'm gonna go. I have to. If this is real, this can finally put an end to the long nightmare. One of them, at least. I have to know why. I have to see his face, and tell him exactly what he's done. If you think it's too difficult, I'll go by myself. He asked for me, anyway." Tan grumbled. "Okay, alright, fine. Little Sis knows what she's talking about." he relented. "Alright. I'm gonna buy a ticket for the train right now. I'll try for tomorrow morning. As for setting up a meeting..." "Tan, do you still have Ms. Kagetora's number?" "Huh? Oh, yeah. Lemme go find her card..." He went off. "Um, excuse me..." Hiyoko piped up. "Did you just say 'Ms. Kagetora'?" "Yeah. Umihime Kagetora. She was Tan's defense attorney, helped get his sentence lowered. She's as no-nonsense as they come. She can help us out." "I see...just wondering..." Rin looked at Hiyoko curiously, but said nothing. "Anyway, I hate to be a burden, but would you all mind if I stayed the night? It's getting rather late, and I'm not really comfortable walking home by myself..." "Oh, don't even give it a second thought, dear. Of course you can stay. You can just borrow some of Rin-chan's clothes if you need them." Hana answered. "Is that alright, Rin?" "You even need to ask? You guys are welcome here whenever. And I can feel my mom melting when she doesn't have company over." Hana playfully elbowed Rin. "Thank you. I'll try not to be a hassle." Rin went online and bought a train ticket. First thing in the morning. She went to bed, knowing fully well that she likely wouldn't be able to fall asleep. --- DECEMBER 19, 2019 Rin got out of bed early. She prepared herself, and went downstairs. Hiyoko was sitting on the couch. "Good morning. Ready to go?" "Huh? Why are you up and dressed already?" "I'm going with you, of course." "Hiyoko, you don't have to, I'll be fine--" "You're not going by yourself. You should know by now how dangerous that would be. I went ahead and bought myself a ticket. If this goes the way I think it will, then you need a friend's support on this. Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on. I'm going, and that's that." She gave Rin a stern gaze, like a queen would give to her subjects, or the kind a mother would give to an unruly child. "Alright, fine, fine! Stop giving me that angry mom look! We might have to stay an extra day depending on how it goes. You OK with that?" "I am. Something tells me what we'll find will take more than one day to process." Rin pondered why Hiyoko was being so ominous. "Well anywho, let's get a move on." The girls departed. About an hour later, the girls were on the train, sitting across from each other. "Hey, so about earlier..." Hiyoko began. "This attorney, this Ms. Kagetora...would she be related to Jūzo Kagetora, by any chance?" Rin pondered the question. She had heard that name before. Jūzo Kagetora was a disgraced former prosecutor who had his illegal dealings exposed and had fled the country years before. "If I remember correctly, Ms. Kagetora is his twin sister." Hiyoko paused. "How interesting...you say she is a woman of morals, yes? Given her relation, can she really be trusted?" "Oh, one-thousand percent. Even though they're twins, they couldn't be any more different. Ms. Kagetora took good care of us. Tan might still be in jail for a good while if she hadn't gotten him a deal." "Well, if you trust her, then I have no reason to doubt." "It just gives you pause. Jūzo Kagetora was as ruthless as they come. There's a reason they labelled him a 'demon prosecutor'. But then the reports of bribes and falsified evidence came out. Not to mention all of the affairs. From a man representing the law, it's positively disgraceful." Rin looked at her curiously. "What about this whole thing's making you so nervous?" "I'm...I'm not nervous. It was just such a huge scandal when it happened. The name just jumped out, that's all." Hiyoko didn't make eye contact when she said this. Rin knew she was hiding something, but didn't press further. Two young men walked past. "Well, isn't this a coincidence." one said. "Oh, Yūji-senpai! And Kamiya-kun! What're you guys doing here?" Rin asked. "There was an order mix-up. Some of our product got delivered to Karakura by mistake. Instead of waiting for delivery, we're going to go pick it up ourselves." "Even if it's a bit of a long trip?" "Hey, long trips aren't a problem. Just gotta train your mind for them!" Kamiya exclaimed. "Please, man, you are hopeless..." Yūji groaned, a hand to his face. "Anyway, what are you two doing here? Sightseeing? Odd that it would just be you two." "Oh, I had some errands to run in Karakura. Didn't want to come alone, and Hiyoko volunteered." Rin explained. "Hmm. Fair enough. Well, you ladies keep yourselves safe. We'll be seeing you." The boys moved along. "Think that was too vague?" Rin asked. "It got the job done. No complaints here." Hiyoko answered. The train reached the station shortly after. The girls took a bus, and eventually reached the Kagetora law office. Hiyoko was quiet. "You feeling alright?" Rin asked. "I'm OK. I need to give JoJo a call. You go on, I'll be along in a minute." Rin gave a skeptical glance, but went on inside. Hiyoko swallowed. Inside the office, a bespectacled woman with dark hair tied up in a bun sat at a computer. "Oh, Ms. Kubo, there you are. I was just wondering when you'd be getting here. Please, have a seat. How's the family doing?" "They're doing very well, Ms. Kagetora. Tan's taken over the shop so my mom can open her flower shop. He's kept out of trouble. It's all been going good." "Great to hear. I was surprised to get your call. I'd thought Tan had slipped up. But you're saying a prisoner sent you a letter confessing to your father's murder?" "Yeah. It's insane. I wanted your advice on how to go about thi--" The door opened strongly. Hiyoko stood at the entrance. "I'm sorry to burst in like this. You are Jūzo Kagetora's sister, yes?" "Hiyoko, what's wrong?" asked a surprised Rin. "A friend of yours, I assume? Well to answer your question, yes, I am. Who wants to know?" "I'm so sorry. My name is Hiyoko Ta--no. I refuse to use that woman's surname any further." "My name is Hiyoko Kagetora. I've done my own investigating. And I've come to the conclusion that your brother...is my father." Umihime raised an eyebrow. Rin's jaw dropped. "Whaaaaaat?!" she exclaimed. --- Hiyoko sat across from Umihime. "I don't doubt the sincerity in your words, young lady. But that's a rather bold claim to make. What proof do you have, exactly?" "Hmm, right. I forgot I was speaking to an attorney. I have my proof right here." Hiyoko took out a series of papers from her purse, and handed them to Umihime. "When I was five years old...I recall peering through a crack in the door and seeing my mother arguing with a dark-haired man. His eyes...they were filled with fire and brimstone. His rage was great. All I can remember about their argument was that she apparently had something of his. I don't remember anything else. And I never really thought about it again until about three years ago. I had long since been separated from my mother, and I was watching a news report. There, flashing on the screen, was the man I had seen arguing with my mother. They said he was Jūzo Kagetora, and that he was a prosecutor wanted for numerous illegal acts. He'd been arrested, but he managed to orchestrate his escape by bribing the guards. They described him as a 'demon prosecutor'. Now, my mother never really spoke about my father, only that she saw him as being the Devil himself. I started to get suspicious." "The family I was living with had...connections. I wanted to know for certain who my father was, and requested that they search the criminal DNA database. For anyone this would have taken weeks, even months, but they were able to get it done within a few days. They'd found a hit. But by then, I had had second thoughts. I was satisfied with my family situation, and so I never opened the test results. I left them tucked away...until last week. With my mother's death, my curiosity about my father was reignited. So I opened the test results, and when I did, my suspicions were confirmed. The face I'd expected to see, those fire and brimstone eyes, were staring back at me. And the name on the results was..." "Jūzo Kagetora." Umihime finished the thought. "99.9% positive DNA match. I would say this was inconceivable, but I know my brother better than anyone. My only surprise is that it hadn't come up sooner. His affairs weren't a secret, and it'd crossed my mind that he could have children running around. But still...this isn't what I expected to get from this meeting." "You're telling me." said a stunned Rin. "I'm so sorry, Rin. I know what you're here for, but...all the talk about your father, and you mentioning a lawyer named Kagetora...I couldn't let it go. It couldn't be a coincidence. My mind's been racing for weeks about any family I might have. My mother didn't have any relatives that I knew about. If this could be a branch to the father I never knew, I wanted to take it. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I feel like this is so selfish..." Hiyoko explained. "You don't need to apologize. I'm not angry. I'm just...stunned." Rin answered. Hiyoko turned to leave. "I've made a fool of myself enough. Good luck, Rin. And I'm sorry again, Ms. Kagetora. I don't know what I was thinking, coming here..." "Wait a second." Umihime got up. She bowed. "On behalf of my brother, I want to extend my deepest apologies. I'd thought he was done smearing my family's name, but to hear that he'd left his own child to fend for herself, is nothing short of disgraceful. I wish I could tell you where he was so you could confront him, but it's something I'd like to know myself. All I can offer you is my apology for any wrongs you've suffered from this." "M-Ms. Kagetora..." "Please, no need to be so formal. I know we've only just met, but you can address me as your aunt, if you so choose. Certainly don't need to address me by a last name you've chosen to take on." "Y-yes, you're right. I hope you don't mind that. Even after what's happened with my mother, I can't stand having to bear her surname. Even if he's no better..." "I understand. You take it on if you want to. In fact, I'd love nothing more than for you to succeed in life bearing that name. As much trouble as my brother's caused, I'd like for some good to come from his misdeeds. You seem like you have a good head on your shoulders. I'd have no problem with you helping to make amends." Hiyoko smiled. "Thank you. That means the world to me. I just want to sit and process all this for a second. Sorry again, Rin. You can resume. I won't interrupt." "Well, moving on from that...enlightening topic, what exactly did you want to do about this letter?" "Well, I wanted to speak to him, face-to-face. I don't know why he's confessing now. I have about a million questions. I don't even know who he is." "What did you say his name was?" "He said he was Seinosuke Yoshihito. Said he was in jail for grand theft." "Yoshihito, huh...that does sound familiar." She looked through her computer. "Oh, this guy. A repeat offender, from the looks of it. 100-plus years for multiple counts of grand theft. Only 22 years old. What a waste." "He was only 14 when he shot my dad...what would make someone that young do something like that?" "Could be a number of reasons. Might've just been a stupid teenager being stupid. Only he knows why he did it." "Would there be a trial?" "At this point, I doubt it. Even if he wasn't forthcoming, he's already effectively serving a life sentence. I wouldn't even think about that unless you spoke with him. I can call them right now and set up a meeting. Hopefully for tomorrow. Whatever procedures we'd have to go through, depends on how it goes. Are you 100% sure you want to do this?" "Yes, I am. Eight years of waiting is eight years too long. I need to see for myself. And for God's sake, I'm in need of a win..." "Well, I'm going to make that call. You ladies feel free to decompress. You're welcome to stay at my apartment overnight, if need be. There's...plenty for us to discuss later." --- LATER THAT NIGHT Hiyoko sat at the kitchen table, sipping tea. Rin was already fast asleep on the couch. A black-and-white cat was curled up asleep on top of her. "That girl is some kind of miracle worker." Umihime walked over and sat down. "Himiko usually can't stand people other than me. But she cuddled up to her without any fuss." "Well, Rin has mentioned that she has an effect on cats..." "I'm starting to see that she has an effect on several things." "What do you mean?" "Well, think about it. The sister of one of my clients just happens to be friends with a girl who in reality is my niece? And said niece manages to be in the room to hear my last name? Do you realize how insanely coincidental all of this is?" "I guess you're right. The way I see it, she has something of a magnetic aura about her. Like the moment you meet her, you just want to help her out. I think what it is, is that she attracts the right people to her. And she makes sure they're where they need to be. If that makes any sense." "Well, I can certainly agree with wanting to help her out. When I was representing her brother, I was trying to bring the whole family as much peace as I could. The mother put on such a brave face, and then there was this girl who put on a smile to mask the weight on her shoulders. Between the one brother going to jail, and then there was the other brother...with that look in his eyes. I'd only encountered him twice, but there was just something...not right in his eyes. But getting past that, I knew these were people who just needed to be helped. Especially after the other brother passed last year. I just had this feeling that this was something I needed to keep myself involved with. I just didn't expect that I'd get a niece out of it." "Niece...there's something to get used to." Hiyoko mused. "Ah, that's right. You said you've been staying with another family all this time, right?" "That's right..." Hiyoko thought for a moment. Maybe telling her attorney aunt about her adopted family of former yakuza wasn't the best idea, at least this early on. "I was lucky. The family that took me in was very well-off. I could have the treatment I needed without any problems. If JoJo hadn't been at the docks that day, I might not have made it very long." "I assume this JoJo is very special to you?" "W-what makes you say that?" "Sweetheart, I've been trained to notice changes in someone's eyes, and yours just lit up from talking about him." "Well...I can't deny that. He's a bit of a surly one on the outside, but he's never left me during any hospital stay. I know how he feels about me, even if getting him to admit it takes more effort than pulling teeth." "Hrm. Unsurprising. Thick-headedness isn't exactly uncommon in boys that age." "The one thing, though...I don't think either of us would've admitted our feelings if it wasn't for...her prodding." She glanced towards Rin. "This girl just wants all of us to be as happy as she is. I'm never not astounded by her. All of the pain, all of the death, and yet she can still muster the strength to smile. This quest has already taken so much. The man who murdered her brother has already taken three other lives, including my mother's. He attacked one of our friends and rendered him mute. And yet, that's just strengthened our resolve to help her. We can't just abandon her when she needs us most. Not after she's given us more than we've lost. I mean, she's led me here..." Umihime smirked. "I can see that this girl's special to a lot of people. I hope she can find some peace tomorrow. At the very least, to get some weight off of those tired shoulders..." --- DECEMBER 20, 2019 KARAKURA MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON Rin sat in the lobby, as Umihime spoke with the receptionist. Rin rubbed her knees. "It's going to be alright." Hiyoko reassured. "If he ends up being difficult, we could always take a side trip into his soul..." She winked as she said it. Rin gave a sheepish grin. "Hopefully, that's not necessary..." she said. Umihime walked over. "Alright. The guards are going to escort you. It's just going to be him, no other inmates around, but he'll be in a cell. They've been having...issues with him lately. If it goes south, the guards'll be right there. You ready for this?" Rin took a deep breath. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm ready." She got up, and went with the guards. They took her to an isolated room, with a single cell in the corner. Rin expected a monster to be in that cell. The kind of merciless animal that would shoot a man dead with little provocation. But that isn't what was there. What sat huddled in the corner of that cell, head down, hand to his face, was a skinny, miserable-looking young man with unkempt dark brown hair. Rin walked over to the cell. "Are you Seinosuke Yoshihito?" she asked firmly. He slowly raised his head up. Looking up at Rin were a pair of the most despair-filled eyes she'd seen, accented by the blackened marks underneath them. This was the kind of inmate other inmates would eat alive. She nearly felt sorry for him, before remembering what she was there for. "You're...you're that girl, from back then..." he said in a low voice. "I have a name. My name is Ringo Kubo. Kaito Kubo was my father. The man you killed." He pondered for a moment. "I'm happy that you finally came...I was worried that my letter wouldn't get to you..." "Cut the pleasantries. You know what I'm here for." "...what happened to your arms?" he asked weakly. "You really want to know? Despair, that's what. My brother died last year, and between everything else, starting with what you did, my mind got to a dark place. And I did something I regret every single day when I wake up." "...I'm sorry...you have my condolences, whatever they're worth..." "What did you pull me here for, exactly? To just creepily rub it in that you killed my father? If that's really it, then I'm gonna take my leave. Have a nice life." "Wait! Wait...please...I need you to understand why it happened the way it did. Please...I understand your anger..." "What could you possibly understand about how I'm feeling?" "Your anger tells me that your father meant a lot to you...he must have been very kind to you." "What's that got to do with anything?" "I'm saying...you were lucky. My father...is more or less the reason I'm in here..." "Really, now? A murderer with daddy issues, what a shock." "Please, listen...nine times out of ten, a boy's strongest influence will come from their father. And my father was as deplorable a man as they come...he terrorized the Karakura market district for years. And when I turned 10, he started to train me to be his partner...he told me that getting in and out as quickly as possible was of upmost importance." "My father was a criminal for the simplist reason of all: he was greedy. The thing that still haunts my mind is the last words your father said: that I probably had more money than he did. I know he was trying to diffuse the situation, but...he was right. My father kept so much money underneath his mattress that I wondered why he kept going out for more. It was greed...pure and simple." Rin stayed silent. "Why did you kill my father?" she finally asked. "...I wasn't as greedy as my father. But I can't deny the thrill that came with getting away with things...and I kept telling myself that there was a greater reason for doing this. And eight years ago, that purpose became clear...I have a little brother. He's about your age, actually. And eight years ago, he was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. The kind where doctors could keep him alive for a while, but eventually it would require more expensive care than any normal person could possibly afford. That day I came to your shop, the next medical bill was due. I was desperate, anxious. I had had shopkeeps trying to hold me off, but this day was the wrong day for it...and in my growing frustration, I made the worst decision of my life..." He had started to tear up. "And it was never enough for my father...he had enough money stashed away to pay for years of treatments, but only provided just enough for that month, then cried poor when we asked...Meanwhile, I had the image of you kneeling beside your father frozen in my mind for years. But I had to keep going...I had to keep my brother alive...then, last year, everything changed..." "My father made a mistake. The police had us cornered, and there was no feasible escape. They weren't going to take him alive...so he took the coward's way out...ran up to the police with a gun drawn, and, well...you can imagine what happened next. I surrendered immediately after. My father was dead. After all the wrongs I'd committed, I considered it karma...and then it just kept coming..." "The police confiscated all of his hidden funds...my family was left destitute...the medical and legal bills were devastating. And then, last week, I received the news I'd been dreading...my brother had passed. And here I sat, in a cell for the rest of my days...and I knew this was the universe punishing me for everything. I had committed murder in the name of keeping my brother alive, and in the end...it meant nothing. Countless lives destroyed, for nothing." Rin was speechless. "I don't demand your forgiveness, Ms. Kubo, nor do I expect it. I needed you to hear the truth, to understand my reasoning, and then...then I needed you to witness my atonement." "Your...atonement?" "I have nothing left to live for...and I have no further right to live. My only destiny now is to rot away in here, to incur beatings from the inmates in here. And so...I'm going...to...!" Suddenly, a sharpened stick emerged from underneath his sleeve. He brought it towards his neck, and then... "STOP IT!" He stopped. He looked up at Rin. She was shaking, fists clenched. "Do you have any idea...how stupid you sound right now? Over the past year...I've had to look at four dead bodies. Four. All of them murdered, all by the same person. After all of that, and knowing what I saw eight years ago..." She looked up, tears streaming from her eyes. "Don't you think I've seen enough needless death for one lifetime?" "I've spent the last eight years wondering why...why my father had to die. I thought hearing the answer would fix everything, would make all the pain disappear...but I feel even emptier than I ever have. Knowing everything, that even more death came out of this...I'm just so lost...and you want to sit there and tell me that you dying in front of me would make it all okay? That somehow, another needless death would fix everything?" "I can't...I can't forget what you did to my father. That can never be forgotten. I'm sorry, for what happened to your brother. I know how hurtful it must be. Did your brother love you for helping him?" "...yes...of course he did..." "Well, that must feel horrible...you lost a brother that loved you. I...don't know how that feels." Seinosuke was silent. "Are you really sorry for killing my father?" "...yes." "And do you really want to atone for killing him?" "Yes." "Then live. Accept the punishment for what you did. You beat death...by living. Live in honor of the people you lost. And live in honor of my father. Tell me again that you're sorry for killing him." "I'm...I'm sorry. I'm sorry that...that I killed your father." "Okay. I believe you. And I forgive you. That's all I wanted to hear." She turned to leave. "Thank you for your honesty. And whatever you can do in this life to atone, please do it. But in this life. For my father, and for my family. Please." "I...I will. Thank you, Ms. Kubo." She walked away. --- LATER THAT AFTERNOON The girls stood at the train station. "Thank you for everything, Ms. Kagetora." Rin said. "Oh, don't even mention it. Bringing resolution is what a lawyer does best. It's all part of the job. You girls have a safe trip back, hear?" "We will. Thank you au--aunt Umi." Hiyoko said with a hint of nervousness. "Haha. I'm going to need to get used to that. Listen, don't be a stranger. I'm going to tell the rest of the family about you. They'll be glad that at least some good came from Jūzo's antics. Come back soon, okay?" "Y-yes, of course..." Hiyoko began to turn red, before promptly giving her aunt a hug. She quickly let go, and gave a respectful bow. "S-see you around, auntie..." She walked towards the train. "Well, that was...something." Umihime mused. "Hey, before you go...how much do you know about this Reaper person?" "Well...outside of him being in the academy's junior class, not a whole lot. The guy's a pro at keeping his secret." Rin answered. "Hrmm. Well, I would like to help out however I can. If you could get me a listing of the entire junior class, I could start digging. Give you a heads up if anything's suspicious. Put those detective skills to good use. That sort of thing." "Are you sure about this? If he finds out, it could spell big trouble. He's got a way of finding out things like this..." "Well, if what you say is true, then he's doing all this as some twisted way of helping you. Hurting me wouldn't fly with that." "Well, if you're really sure...then I'd really appreciate any help. Honestly, with everything else going on, looking into his identity's been easier said than done. If you could find anything, that'd be a huge help." Rin bid Umihime farewell, and boarded the train. On the way back, she began to write in her journal. She had looked the man who had killed her father in the face, and told him she forgave him. She had stopped another meaningless death from happening. After eight years, she could finally say she had something akin to closure. For once, it had ended without bloodshed. She smiled, and before she knew it, the train made it to Naruki City. Christmas was around the corner. And now, she had something to feel joyous about. --- ELSEWHERE The young man in the red hood kicked open the door. He opened the door to his closet. "You been keeping good, Dad?" He stared at a skeleton lying in the closet. "Sheesh. Don't be such a chatterbox." He went over to his bedroom. "Time to check in with the bossman, I guess." He pried open a hole to Tartarus, and peered inside. "Yo. Still just hanging around, I see...yeah, I know. Not my fault those preppy dweebs didn't want to play ball. I've got the feeling ol' Ishimaru's not gonna be far behind...yeah, just gotta keep him thinking he's in control. Long as Rinnie sticks to the script, we'll be set." "Yeah...won't be long now. Everyone's gonna be getting what's coming to 'em. So just sit tight. You'll get what you want soon, and I'll get what I want. It'll all work out..." He shut the portal. "...oh, shut up, Dad. I'm not getting worse. This is me at equilibrium. I'm righter than rain, right now. You'll see. We're gonna change the world, boss man and me. Ask me again then, how crazy I am. You've got a ton of nerve talking like that, Mr. Sitsinclosetallday." He removed his hoodie, though his face remained shrouded. He had what appeared to be severe burn marks on his back. "You got no room to criticize. Chicks dig scars, after all. Heard they're not fans of bony fingers, though..." He began to cackle. On his wall were numerous photos containing Rin, all of them with her face circled. Among the photos, there was a calendar labelled "2008", with the date of August 19 circled in red crayon. Pinned next to that, was a scrap of notebook paper. A messy-looking message, written in red crayon, read "Today I met a princess. Her name is Rin, and she's really pretty--" It cut off after that. The cackling continued.